Maple Syrup Barbecue Sauce

This barbecue sauce is a great alternative to the bottle of barbecue sauce we see in store. Of course, using a bottle of store bought barbecue sauce is very convenient, and sometimes there is no substitution for convenience. However, if you are trying to reduce the amount of added sugars or salt you consume, you can easily whip up a batch of your own barbecue sauce, and you can control all of the ingredients you add to cater it to your personal diet.

Typically, barbecue sauce found in the grocery store is very high in sugar and salt, and not the best choice for someone who is trying to limit sal tintake from processed foods. The barbecue sauce I’ve put together here is sweetened with a small amount of maple syrup, and also contains raw apple cider vinegar which packs a punch of enzymes and bacteria.

If you are not immunocompromised, when purchasing apple cider vinegar, you want to look for the words “raw” and “unfiltered”. You also want an apple cider vinegar containing the “Mother”, which is a sediment at the bottom of the bottle consisting mostly of acetic acid-type bacteria. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar will be darker in colour than filtered, so that is another thing to pay attention to as well.

This barbecue sauce coats nicely on barbecued chicken, as pictured above. It’s also great on plant-based alternatives like tempeh and tofu. Or use it as a sauce base for a barbecue chicken pizza!

*yields 1 cup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup

2-4 dashes liquid smoke

1/2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

dash of tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl and whisk until combined.

Alternatively, you can add all ingredients to a jar and shake until thouroghly mixed.

Done! This keeps for up to 2 weeks refrigerated.